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The latest patch 5.4 newsWoW Moviewatch: An unpreventable case of WoW addiction
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 4th 2006 at 12:04AM
This piece from an Austrailian news magazine basically boils down to OMG WOW IS KILLING OUR CHILDREN.
So let's review what WoW is responsible for in this kid's life:
I'm just praying, as I'm sure you are, dear reader, that we find a cure for this seemingly unpreventable "World of Warcraft" disease soon (the psychologist points out it's not in the DSM-IV-- wonder why that is...). Maybe a set schedule, moving the computer out of the bedroom, or, you know, an off button. Because if we don't, OUR CHILDREN WILL CONTINUE TO DIE. Please, for the sake of the children, let's spread fear and panic without actually researching or investigating the subject of our report at all.
So let's review what WoW is responsible for in this kid's life:
- Cursing and general aggressiveness and debauchery (hole-punching, bottle-smashing)
- Sunken eyes and pale skin
- Making "friends" in other countries
- Using an American accent (gasp-- we know, we know, he "just picked it up")
- Twelve hours of voluntarily playing a game at a time
- And, perhaps most shocking, he actually plays a pally
I'm just praying, as I'm sure you are, dear reader, that we find a cure for this seemingly unpreventable "World of Warcraft" disease soon (the psychologist points out it's not in the DSM-IV-- wonder why that is...). Maybe a set schedule, moving the computer out of the bedroom, or, you know, an off button. Because if we don't, OUR CHILDREN WILL CONTINUE TO DIE. Please, for the sake of the children, let's spread fear and panic without actually researching or investigating the subject of our report at all.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 2)
josh Oct 4th 2006 12:03PM
I love how they always point out that guy that killed himself after playing for 36 hours straight. As if the game made him do it.
If you are killing yourself or playing games for 36 hours straight, you had problems to begin with.
Hell 1 in 7 million players kills himself? That's a better average than any other pastime.
What if a man works in his garden for 36 hours and kills himself. Was gardening to blame? OMG let's ban gardening straight away!
1 in 7 million players commit suicide? Hell, I'd go so far as to say that WoW PREVENTS suicide, that's a lower statistic than what you get with people who don't play WoW. Maybe WoW gives them something to live for.
How about waiting for a trend before we go blaming WoW for suicides? No... all it takes is one wacko to do something and we all decide that WoW makes you want to kill yourself.
It's a wonder the human race hasn't been wiped off the face of the planet yet with how stupid we all are. Unbelievable.
Pougen (Earthen Ring) Oct 4th 2006 1:45PM
How in the world is Blizzard going to pay for all those server upgrades if they can't properly make a game that's properly addictive?
Of COURSE it's addictive. But if the responsible person (in this case, the mother) can recognize it and stop the behavior, then, where is the problem. All I saw her doing was whining about it.
I have kids. They enjoy playing games on the computer. But things like homework, family, SLEEP come first. But I have problems sometimes with WoW, so it's not just people being irresponsible - it's how the game is designed: grinding for gold, levels, honor.
Niekon Oct 4th 2006 1:10PM
if it isn't WoW... then it's going to be FFXI or CounterStrike or some other game. Video games are the current scapegoat for anything and everything that ailes the world. And because the general population believes the tripe that the media puts out there, it all must be true. It would take too much effort for these folks to actually do something like research for themselves... less effort to point the blame at a video game or a specific video game company (Take-Two for instance by Jack Thompson).
kekleon64 Oct 4th 2006 1:22PM
I think we should ban potato chips, I can't stop eating them!
OMG IM OUT. Must go tell mom to get more!
Prauche Oct 6th 2006 10:11AM
Cigarettes and Alcohol are legal; when they're banned, come back and talk to me.
Gamerz22 Oct 4th 2006 2:45PM
A point is being missed. It is never the game's fault. A game can be addicting, no shit, but it is the player's decision to be consumed into the addiction.
The game isn't at fault at all. It is like blaming sodas or chocolate on making people fat, it can be doesn't force you to. The player makes the decision to continue eating (eg. "playing").
It is FULLY a parent responsibility. If you see your child dangling off a cliff, are you gonna say "It is the cliff's/fall's fault, we need to get rid of it" and just walk away whining about the issue, thus not take action to correcting it yourself?
Bottom line, no one is forcing you to pay for the WoW account, no one is forcing you to keep the computer plugged, no one is forcing you not to use the PARENTAL CONTROLS VIA ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT...
NO ONE IS FORCING YOUR CHILD TO PLAY THE GAME. JUST TURN IT OFF/CANCEL ALL SERVICES!!! TAKE RESPONSIBILITY!!! CAPS WITH EXCLAIMATION POINTS ARE ATTENTION GRABBING!!!
Kaner Oct 4th 2006 5:42PM
Well i have to disagree me playing World of Warcraft for 10+ hours a day allowed me to find my beutiful GF in game so get off Blizzards back wow is awesome social engine and allows you to intract with people from all round the world and yes even you could find love.
Dave M. Oct 4th 2006 10:23PM
What is really amusing is that the "chat room" that they were talking about when filming the first screenshot is actually a list of comments from my website! :)
http://daveschalkboard.wordpress.com/2005/11/18/parents-suing-blizzard-for-world-of-warcraft-addiction/
Comments 3 and 4 are shown. Then they show the story of which that post linked to.
I nearly fell off my couch when I saw that. :)
That post has been getting a lot of traffic of late, but I would have never guessed it would show up on television. :)
ro Oct 6th 2006 3:55AM
Well, fact is that the guy dropped out of school. And he choses to play. And the mom doesn't take the computer away. Case closed? Well, almost. I would agree that gaming can become an addiction just like gambling or drugs. Denying that is closing the eyes to reality.
Arbuz Chokaro Nov 9th 2006 8:50PM
Wow, that was delicious.
1. I love how they were just talking about him while he was playing like he was some sort of animal in the zoo that had a tummy ache. The kid is a HUMAN BEING. Treat him like one for gods sake
2. GASP. He picked up the f bomb through WoW? What treachery! Clearly in his 16 years of life he has never heard that word before he began playing!
3. Why does their house have no doors? Do they not have doors in Australia?